AltStore PAL, an alternative app store for iOS made possible by new regulations in markets like the EU and Japan, is integrating with the open social web, supporting the fediverse that runs on ActivityPub and underpins apps like Mastodon, Flipboard, PeerTube, Threads, and others.
With AltStore PAL's launch of its own Mastodon server, it is becoming the first federated app marketplace. The company intends to use its server to give app developers a way to communicate about their apps' news, updates, and alerts. At launch, apps already participating include Loops, a federated short-form video app; PeerTube, a federated app similar to YouTube; and iPhanty, a Mastodon client built by indie developer Matt Fantinel.
Because these posts are federated, they can be seen, liked, and interacted with by users across the open social web. According to AltStore PAL co-founder Riley Testut, "if you have a Mastodon account or Threads account, you could follow these accounts. You could follow the source from our Mastodon server, and then, in your timeline, you would see when there was an app update." The interactions on these posts will also be shown on the AltStore PAL app itself, as people can sign in with their Mastodon or Bluesky accounts to like the apps, the app updates, and the news alerts within the app marketplace.
The integration addresses a persistent challenge for alternative app stores since AltStore PAL launched in the European Union in April 2024 as one of the first official alternative app marketplaces on iOS thanks to the Digital Markets Act. When AltStore began allowing developers to self-publish their apps for free in April 2025, growth accelerated, and the store now has over 100 developers on board, which is more than Epic Games offers on its alternative games store.
AltStore has partnered with Mastodon gGmbH to manage a custom Mastodon server on its behalf, and also with A New Social to natively support Bluesky via Bridgy Fed. The company is also giving back $500,000 to various projects in the fediverse, including $300,000 to Mastodon gGmbH, as well as support for Bridgy Fed by A New Social, Ivory + Phoenix by Tapbots, Tapestry by The Iconfactory, mstdn.social, Akkoma, PeerTube, BookWyrm, and Fedify.
AltStore PAL is expected to expand beyond Europe into Japan, Brazil, and Australia by the end of 2025, with the United Kingdom scheduled to follow in 2026. Some larger apps are planning to launch on this federated marketplace at a later time after changes to Apple's commission structure are finalised in the EU, as these apps are waiting for Apple to replace its Core Technology Fee with its Core Technology Commission.
To access AltStore PAL's Mastodon server, users can visit fosstodon.org/@altstore, whilst users can also discover apps and sources on the AltStore PAL explore page at explore.alt.store.